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Shelter Island Reporter obituary: Tonya Larkins

Over the holidays, Tonya Larkins, a familiar face at the South Ferry office for 35 years, and sister of Tish Clark, passed away peacefully under hospice care. She was diagnosed with untreatable cancer in September.

Tonya Larkins

Tonya was born in Gallipolis, Ohio. She moved to Riverhead with her parents in 1980 when she and her parents wanted to be closer to their grandchildren, Paige and Shelli Clark. She was hired as an office worker at South Ferry in 1982 and eventually became the office manager, a position she held until last fall when she could no longer work.

Her family said Tonya will be remembered for her infectious laughter that was easily triggered; for the candy jar at the South Ferry office which she stocked daily with her own money for customers and crew to enjoy; for her quiet, thoughtful, random acts of kindness toward ferry crew, friends and family; and for her reliability, attention to detail and punctuality as a worker.

She was an active and faithful member of the Mattituck Church of Christ. She will be remembered there, her family said, for her deep Biblical knowledge, her unshakeable respect for Scripture and her beautiful singing voice.

Never married, she is survived by her sister, Tish Clark; brother-in-law, Cliff Clark; nieces Paige (Nicholas Morehead) and Shelli (Con Nicolet) and their children, Cayman and Larkin Morehead, and Landon and Jackson Nicolet.

At Tonya’s request, there will not be a formal funeral service. She will be laid to rest at a family plot on January 26th in Malaga, Ohio, where her parents and grandparents are buried.

She and her family request that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to the Mary Boeklen Fund. Many will recall that in July of 2016, Bill Boeklen, a captain at South Ferry, also died suddenly after a cancer diagnosis.

All donations will go directly to Mary’s house mortgage so the family can remain on Shelter Island. Checks are tax-deductible and should be made out to East End Church of Christ (with “Boeklen Mortgage” in the memo line. Mail to South Ferry, P.O. Box 2024, Shelter Island, NY 11964.